Blockchain-Invested Giants Win Contract to Create EU’s Cloud Network

Following their involvement in blockchain technologies, Accenture and Microsoft have won the right to provide cloud services for EU institutions.

Also read: Accenture & Digital Asset Holdings Launch New Blockchain Consulting Firm

A Timely Collaboration?

The two companies will build the infrastructure as part of a consortium, along with Comparex, after Accenture’s Cloud Platform and Microsoft Azure met “stringent” requirements put forward by the EU Commission.

Accenture is already involved in IT services for two EU agencies, and will head the consortium along with Comparex, with Microsoft as a subcontractor.

Dany Delepierre, managing director of Accenture’s Health & Public Service practice in Belgium and Luxembourg, said in a press release issued today:

This collaboration between Accenture, Comparex and Microsoft will enable European institutions to procure cloud services in a fast, convenient and flexible way.

Earlier this month, Accenture announced its formation of a Blockchain consulting firm in partnership with Digital Asset Holdings, while Microsoft received considerable press coverage following its adoption of Ethereum technology.

“Blockchain-enabled technologies are poised to bring huge benefits to the financial services sector over the next decade,” Accenture global capital markets practice managing director Owen Jelf said announcing the partnership. “By forming this practice, we can help the industry unlock scalable and transformative uses of this innovative technology.”

Blockchain in the Wings?

While blockchain-related plans were not explicitly mentioned in today’s EU announcement, the expressed interests of both firms in the technology opens up the potential for its more direct application within EU frameworks.

“The Accenture Cloud Platform will deliver enhanced flexibility and governance while facilitating the secure development of new applications and the transfer of existing applications into the cloud,” Delepierre added.

Cautious optimism from the blockchain camp also greeted the news. Hakim Mamoni, CTO of Coinsilium, the first blockchain investment player to bring an IPO to market, told Bitcoin.com that while the announcement “does not mention blockchain per se, […] the launch of such a consortium does mean that the deployment of any blockchain solutions would be much more straightforward than is currently possible.”

Mamoni continued:

Here in London, there is clearly a strong appetite for blockchain implementation across both government institutions and private organizations. It would make sense for the EU to be moving towards a similar outlook and to be taking the steps towards such a commitment.

IBM meanwhile last week announced a cloud computing service designed to allow interested parties “kick the proverbial tires” of Hyperledger, Wired reports, its joint project with Microsoft which aims to provide a new way of tracking a range of assets, from financial to real estate.

“Ideas can be very powerful. Once an idea gets out there—at least in today’s world—you’re not going to stop it from propagating,” Arvind Krishna, the IBM research director working on Hyperledger told the publication.

What’s your take on the potential for blockchain technology to find a fundamental role in government structures? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Images courtesy of coinsillium, www.computing.co.uk

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